(a) Field
The subject matter disclosed generally relates to hunting gear. More particularly, the description relates to arrowheads.
(b) Related Prior Art
Throughout history, archery has played a dominant role in hunting, warfare, and sports. Archery technology has developed tremendously since its origins thousands of years ago, and though not used for warfare anymore, archery remains a challenging sport which has its own particularities and requires skills from the hunter in order to produce a clean kill. Furthermore, some countries prohibit the use of firearms for hunting, and thus, archery remains the only alternative for hunting.
The technology of archery encompasses both launchers and projectiles. A bow (the launcher) is used to propel an arrow (the projectile) towards a target. A conventional arrow has a shaft, a nock that receives the bow string attached to the trailing end of the shaft, and an arrowhead or point attached to the leading end of the arrow shaft, which aids in penetrating the target. An arrowhead generally has a pointed forward end.
Quick and humane kills are dependent on accurate shot placement, and upon the amount or volume of the animal tissue that is cut. Hunting arrowheads that cut more tissue are more lethal, and therefore are better for both the hunter and the animal. The volume of tissue that is cut is determined by the cutting diameter of the arrowhead, the number of blades it contains, and by the depth the arrowhead penetrates into the animal.
FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a conventional arrowhead 10 including three blades 12 mounted on a shaft 14. When the arrowhead 10 hits the body of an animal, the blades 12 cut the tissue of the animal and cause bleeding.
The problem with the conventional arrowheads such as that shown in FIG. 1 is that even though it is aerodynamic, and even if the shot is successful, the animal is often able to run for quite some distance before it collapses as it succumbs to its wounds because the arrowhead does not snatch and isolate the tissue from the animal's body. Therefore, quite often the hunter looses the animal and the arrowhead shot at it and the animal suffers needlessly. Some animals are also able to recover from the wound and survive.
Several attempts have been made to increase the diameter of the shaft so that the shaft creates more damage in the animal's body, but these attempts have failed because the arrowhead becomes heavy and loses its aerodynamics.
Therefore, there is a need for an arrowhead which expedites the death of the animal, and reduces its pain and suffering.